A MAN accused of murdering a Renfrewshire dad and getting rid of his chopped-up corpse was spotted putting a “heavy” suitcase in a bin, a court has heard.
David Collins, 46, allegedly dumped the item outside his flat in Paisley last August.
The torso of missing Kevin Bishop was later found there.
READ MORE: Police confirm human remains are that of missing man Kevin Bishop
Jurors heard how Collins earlier told an ex-lover how he had “hurt” Mr Bishop and that parts of his body were already “away.”
Collins, of Paisley, is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow charged with murdering 32-year-old Mr Bishop, dismembering the body and hiding the remains.
He denies the charge and claims self-defence.
His former girlfriend Anne Melville yesterday gave evidence.
The pair dated in the 1990s but had not had regular contact after that until Collins called her last July.
She said he appeared drunk, could hardly speak and claimed he had hurt his best friend's brother at his flat.
The witness said she knew Collins was friendly with Mr Bishop's half-brother Shaun.
She added that Collins said there had been a confrontation and that Mr Bishop had died.
“I asked him was he sure and to check if Kevin was okay," she continued. “He said 'no' and that he knew he was gone.”
She was shown a statement she made to police about the call, in which she is said to have asked Collins: “What are you going to do? Fire him in a wheelie bin?”
Collins replied that body parts were “already away.”
Prosecutor Gillian Ross asked the witness: “What did you say to him after he told you what happened to the body?”
She replied: “I actually did not think it was true.”
The court heard that she later went to Collins' flat with their daughter days later to give him a birthday present and also brought with her a suitcase that had belonged to him.
He went on to take the case with him into a bedroom.
She recalled going into the room at one point and there was “something on the floor, wrapped in plastic.”
Miss Melville added: “He lifted it and put in the suitcase.”
The court was told the trio then went outside and Collins had the case with him.
Miss Melville said: “He put it in the bin. It looked heavy.”
The jury heard Collins then smashed a bottle of aftershave over the bin.
Miss Melville recalled: “I did not know what to do. I thought I will wait and see if the guy turns up. There was nothing that I could do.”
The court was told Mr Bishop was reported missing after relatives had not heard from him.
His torso was found in the bin on August 13. Other parts of his body have yet to be recovered.
Collins is said to have used a machete to strike him, with other injuries inflicted by “means unknown.”
The murder is said to have taken place between July 27 and August 1.
Collins is then accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
It is claimed he did “dismember the body” of Mr Bishop, severing his head, legs and arms with a machete, knife or similar items.
Remains are said to have been dumped at a mystery location.
READ MORE: Suspected killer to go on trial after after body found in Paisley
Collins is then alleged to have wrapped Mr Bishop's torso in binbags, a sheet and tape before hiding it in a suitcase, which was stuffed into a bin.
He is said to have covered the case in bleach and aftershave.
Prosecutors claim this was all done in an “attempt to conceal” the alleged murder.
The trial, before Lady Rae, continues.
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